When you have the option, organically grown produce is almost always far superior to the other choices in the grocery store. Rather than purchasing it from stores, you can choose to grow it yourself. Read on so you know what it takes to create a thriving organic garden.
When choosing plants, pick those that produce a high yield. A disease-resistant hybrid plant can be a good option to consider over a more traditional variety due to its tendency to produce higher yields.
A handy trick is to turn the handle on a tool that you use often into a makeshift ruler. Tools that have long handles such as rakes, hoes and shovels can be used in place of a measuring stick. Put the handles down and measure them with a measuring tape. With a permanent marker, note pertinent measurements on the tool handle. Now when you go garden the next time, you’ll have a giant ruler at your command.
Flower Beds
Give your flower beds a boost by introducing annuals and biennials. These fast growth plants make flower beds vibrant, and they let you alter the appearance seasonally and annually. Use them to fill gaps between shrubs and perennials in the sun. Notable biennials and annuals include marigold, sunflowers, hollyhock, petunia, and cosmos.
If many of the plants in your garden grow close to the ground, some horticulture knee pads will prevent pain and knee injuries. Excessive time spent kneeling often results in significant stiffness and pain. Using a pair of quality knee pads designed for gardening can provide your knees with cushioning and support, preventing any discomfort.
Don’t use pesticides that aren’t meant to kill specific types of garden pests. While broad-spectrum pesticides will kill most pests, they will also kill helpful insects. The beneficial insects, which kill the pests, are much more sensitive to pesticides than the pests. Using them will reduce your population of good bugs, and increase the bad. This may then lead to using even more pesticides to eliminate this new problem.
You can spray scents such as after-shave and cologne around your garden to deter your dog. This will help to cover the scents that are attracting the dog, and make it less of an appealing place for your dog to be.
Always dress appropriately when gardening in order to protect yourself from the harmful effects of the sun. Put on some sunglasses, sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat. If you shield your skin from the sun correctly, your risk of sunburn and cancers will go down.
Coffee Grounds
Mix used coffee grounds into your soil. They contain nitrogenous nutrients which are essential to plant growth. Using coffee grounds or any other source of nitrogen contributes to the growth of taller, fuller blooms.
A good general rule when planting your seeds into containers is that the depth of the planting should be about three times the size of the seed. It is important to note though, that not all seeds are covered to this depth, as some need direct sunlight to grow properly. This is true of popular flowers like petunias and zinnias. If you don’t know whether your seeds require sun exposure, check the seed package or search online for the information.
Organic horticulture may sometimes require more effort than resorting to chemicals, but the payoff in the end is well worth the work. Chemicals are extremely efficient, but the organic method is the best way to get healthy produce.
Do not keep on buying low quality produce. If you follow the advice that you have just read, you will be on your way to an even greener thumb!
Originally posted 2014-09-06 03:56:48.
